1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing lures. Specifically, the present invention relates to a unique fishing lure which features the combined effect of: a segmented body connected by a thin flexible membrane for serpentine or side to side motion; an airfoil type shape for lift; a balanced weight to establish a center of gravity; and, a diving bill to counterbalance lift effects and provide action at suspended depths through the water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Artificial fishing lures are widely used as substitutes for actual bait fish in the sport of fishing. Various types of fishing lures exist. Fishing lures which generally emulate the motion of actual bait fish are desirable because predator fish are often tricked into biting on these lures. A substantial cost savings is derived from using artificial lures over live bait because artificial lures can be used repeatedly. Depending on the curiosity and nature of the predator fish, the use artificial lures can be preferable over live bait.
It will be beneficial if a new fishing lure is introduced which resembles a fish and has hydrodynamic features which cause it to move in a manner similar to that of a real fish and which attracts predator fish to strike.
The following prior art patents are found pertinent to this field of art:
1. French Patent No. 2,455,432 issued to Thomassin (hereafter the "Thomassin French Patent") on Nov. 28, 1980 for "Flexible Animated Fishing Lure".
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,165 issued to Thomassin (hereafter the "Thomassin U.S. patent) on Jan. 20, 1970 for "Lure for Fishing".
3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,518 issued to Kleine et al. (hereafter the "Kleine patent") on May 29, 1973 for "Fishing Lure Having Detachably Positioned Hooks".
4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,800 issued to Neil (hereafter the "Neil patent") on Nov. 23, 1976 for "Action Lure".
5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,283 issued to Pippert (hereafter the "Pippert patent") on Mar. 4, 1986 for "Fishing Lure".
6. U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,381 issued to Coons (hereafter the "Coons patent") on Apr. 21, 1953 for "Fish Lure".
7. U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,917 issued to Rowe (hereafter the "Rowe patent") on Jan. 1, 1963 for "Fish Lure".
8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,639 issued to Pippert (hereafter the "Pippert patent") on Dec. 10, 1991 for "Fishing Lure System and Rattle Therefor".
9. U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,766 issued to Accetta (hereafter the "Accetta patent") on Nov. 8, 1955 for "Fish Lure",
10. U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,528 issued to Moore (hereafter the "Moore patent") on Sep. 25, 1973 for "Plastic Fishing Worm".
11. U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,148 issued to Hardwicke (hereafter the Hardwicke patent) on Jan. 26, 1982 for "Weedless Fishing Lure".
12. U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,430 issued to Barfield (hereafter the "Barfield patent") on Jan. 16, 1990 for "Multi-Jointed Beaded Fishing Worm Lure".
13. U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,372 issued to Reed (hereafter the "Reed patent") on Mar. 12, 1991 for "Artificial Fishing Lure".
The present invention consists of a multiplicity of multi-segmented plugs with a thin flexible membrane running down the center so that the plugs move in effect from side to side in a serpentine motion. The lure is shaped in the general shape of an airfoil so that there is lift as well as the serpentine motion while the fishing lure is pulled through the water. There is also a bill in the front of the lure which serves as a diving bill. There is also a center of gravity weight located approximately in the area of the segment adjacent to the front section so that the entire fishing lure operates like an airplane with lift on the tail and a downward force on the front part of the diving bill where the thin flexible membrane is a very unique feature of the device and serves to cause a serpentine or side to side motion as the lure is pulled through the water. The thin flexible membrane in the middle is usually made of aircraft type fiber such as polyfiber.
The Thomassin French Patent discloses a flexible animated fishing lure which has a spoon type blade at the head and generates undulating movement in its segment body. The spoon type blade pivots at the head of the lure. The movement, described as centrifugal, is imparted to the main part of the lure where the embodiment of a segmented fish with dummy fins and tail moves continuously.
In contrast, the present invention's generally serpentine motion through the water is due to the combined effects of the airfoil type design, the diving bill, the segmented sections with gap spacing between segments and the weight placement. The present invention carefully considers gap spacing between segments and the segments in the present invention have a lateral movement because of the method of attachment of the segments, which is by a flexible membrane. The membrane attachment of sections, gap spacing and overall hydrodynamic fish like movement of the one-piece body, are key attributes of the design, and are not present in the Thomassin patent.
The Thomassin U.S. patent discloses a lure for fishing which exhibits a body of a flexible material which includes a head, a ribbed diaphragm and a tail. A weight is horizontally disposed in the head and an elongated blade is secured to the head and passes through the body of the lure.
The ribbed diaphragm in the Thomassin U.S. patent is of a one piece structure where ridges are placed along the sides which allow for lateral flexibility. This differs considerably from the present invention where the gap spacing and method of attachment of the sections are crucial and cause the lure to move in a smooth serpentine or side to side motion. The airfoil type design of the body is not present in the Thomassin U.S. patent. Furthermore, the Thomassin U.S. patent claims a ribbed diaphragm attaching to a head which has a blade insertion connection which is very different from the smooth body, hydrodynamic structure of sections in the present invention.
The Kleine patent discloses a fishing lure having detachably positioned hooks. The overall structure of the Kleine patent involves a series of joined segments which allow it to move in a lateral manner, simulating the motion of a fish. The lure body has a common rib, formed of a flexible gauze like material, which extends along the length of the lure with a series of jointed body portion segments.
In contrast, the present invention comprises the combination of a diving bill, weight and airfoil type shape which is not present in the Kleine patent. These features, along with the segmented structure for lateral serpentine or side to side motion, distinguish the present invention from the Kleine patent.
The Neil patent discloses an action lure which has a head, tail and flexible core connecting the head and the tail with rib members extending radially from the core, concentrically placed with respect to the core. When air bubbles are trapped within the pockets along the length of the rib members, it emits a sound and changes the rate of descent to provide a life like appearance.
Again, the Neil patent device does not have the critical features of the present invention but only has, in similar relation, a ribbed body of sections which are radially extended from the core.
Other prior art patents which are not as similar to the present invention are described here briefly for reference.
The Pippert patent discloses a fishing lure comprised of a preformed cavity extending generally lengthwise through the body.
The Coons patent discloses a fish lure which has a generally spoon shaped solid body construction where it is specifically designed to have a life-like appearance and to dart or zig-zag through the water.
The Rowe patent discloses a fish lure of a generally molded body design to resemble a fish, with weighted portions mounted on a thin flexible wire extending longitudinally from the head to the tail portion.
The Pippert patent discloses a fishing lure system and rattle which comprises a rigid head and body construction and has a rattle assembly disposed in a cavity of the body.
The Accetta patent discloses a fish lure comprised of a head and a freely flexible elongated body which project a longitudinal series of freely flexible waving fingers or feeler strips.
The Moore patent discloses a plastic fishing worm which contains a metallic hollow chamber which produces a fish-attracting noise when the lure is pulled through the water.
The Hardwicke patent discloses a weedless fishing lure comprised of a generally worm-like body with a weed-guard appendage at the front end where the leader is attached.
The Barfield patent discloses a multi-jointed beaded fishing worm lure which simulates the natural motion of a worm. A plurality of generally spherical beads are connected by a continuous flexible strand.
The Reed patent discloses an artificial fishing lure which has a slightly U-shaped surface and a convex bottom portion and is comprised of an elongate, straight line radially asymmetrical body. The body has a plurality of segments which include a leading end, a trailing end and a hinge means for coupling lead and trailing ends. The lure moves through the water with a random and erratic motion.